A seat belt system for restraining a vehicle occupant typically includes seat belt webbing, a seat belt locking tongue on the webbing, and a seat belt buckle. The tongue on the webbing is inserted in the buckle when the webbing has been placed about a vehicle occupant. A latch mechanism in the buckle interlocks with the tongue to secure the webbing about the occupant.
In addition to the latch mechanism, the buckle typically includes a base and a housing. The base supports the latch mechanism, and defines a passage in which the tongue is received upon insertion in the buckle. The housing contains and conceals the base and the latch mechanism from view.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,393 discloses a seat belt buckle with a housing containing a base and a latch mechanism. When the buckle disclosed in the '393 patent is being assembled, the latch mechanism is first mounted on the base. The latch mechanism and the base are then received together in the housing. Specifically, the base (with the latch mechanism attached) is moved fully into the housing. The base is subsequently moved a short distance in a direction extending back outward of the housing. When the base is moved within the housing in this manner, a pair of tabs on a front end portion of the base are received in a pair of slots in a front end portion of the housing. Another pair of tabs on a rear end portion of the base are then deflected forcefully into a corresponding pair of slots in a rear end portion of the housing. This interlocks the base with the housing.